Toxicity[edit]

Modern medicine finds that mercury is inherently toxic, and that its toxicity is not due to the
presence of impurities. While mercury does have anti-microbial properties, and formerly
was widely used in Western medicine, its toxicity does not warrant the risk of using it as a
health product in most circumstances.[7][8] The Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention have also reported a number of cases of lead poisoning associated with
Ayurvedic medicine.[9] Other incidents of heavy metal poisoning have been attributed to the
use of rasa shastra compounds in the United States, and arsenic has also been found in
some of the preparations, which have been marketed in the United States under trade
names such as "AyurRelief", "GlucoRite", "Acnenil", "Energize", "Cold Aid", and "Lean Plus".
[10]

Ayurvedic practitioners claim that these reports of toxicity are due to failure to follow
traditional practices in the mass production of these preparations for sale, [11] but modern
science finds that not only mercury, but also lead is inherently toxic. The government of
India has ordered that Ayurvedic products must specify their metallic content directly on the
labels of the product;[12] however, M. S. Valiathan noted that "the absence of post-market
surveillance and the paucity of test laboratory facilities [in India] make the quality control of
Ayurvedic medicines exceedingly difficult at this time. [12]